The Use of the Harp in Experimental Music: The Composition and Performances ofSpindlefor Harpist and Assisting Performers

Creating new music for the harp, the composer needs to make choices about whether to build on the instrument's cultural baggage, and the strong accompanying imagery, or to attempt to move in the opposite direction. This paper will explore the processes which led to the composition and performance of Spindle for solo harp and assisting performers, discussing elements of theatricality, degrees of audience participation, performer-audience hybrids, verbal instructions in the score, and non-verbal cues during performance. It will also discuss improvisation using loops, and challenging the fourth wall through the physical interaction between performers and audience, and examine similar practices in a selection of pieces composed in the last 70 years.